Russell Wilson will return to Denver to face the Broncos early in his Pittsburgh Steelers tenure. A former teammate is circling the Week 2 game on the calendar.
The Broncos host Wilson and the Steelers at Mile High on Sept. 15. Denver linebacker Jonas Griffith looked ahead to this fall’s AFC matchup.
“I’m really excited, obviously for any game I get to play in. But you see that one, you’re excited to go out there and beat the Steelers,” Griffith said on Denver Sports 104.3’s The Drive, via Andrew Mason.
Griffith, who has one interception in 12 career games, revealed his goal for opposing Wilson.
“I want to pick off Russ, for sure,” he said. “I think that would be really cool, just to pick him off and get the victory.”
Former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay asked if Griffith would say, “Let’s ride” if he sacked Wilson. The 27-year-old laughed and said he wouldn’t taunt the nine-time Pro Bowler with his own catchphrase.
The Broncos paid a massive price to acquire Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks and extend him before the 2022 season. They expected a franchise quarterback who could propel them to contention, but the veteran instead regressed on his new team.
Wilson particularly struggled in 2022, tallying 16 passing touchdowns, 11 picks, and a career-worst 84.4 quarterback rating. While he improved last season, the Broncos still benched him for the final two games and absorbed a significant dead cap hit to cut him this offseason.
It’s no guarantee the Broncos will face Wilson, as the 35-year-old must fend off Justin Fields for Pittsburgh’s starting job. Yet ESPN’s Brooky Pryor said last week that Wilson remains in the “lead spot” to begin the 2024 season under center.
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